Deadly Games II: Time and Again
by Moon Step
Summary: Time. It rules us all. It can change much, and its effects are felt by everything, everyone. None are immune. And with the wrong ones in control of it, time can be deadly. YYHInu pairings
1. Prelude

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho

* * *

**_Deadly Games II: Time and Again_**

**Prelude- Remember?**

* * *

_A small, cunning smirk appeared on his face as he walked around the circle. Bloodstained fingers twitched, sending flecks of crimson around the ground he walked. More blood continued to pour down his wrist and into his hand, eager to feed what lay below._

_One eye focused on the she-demon as he moved; the other was a ruin of scars. An encouraging smile appeared on her face when she noticed his gaze. Her multicolored skirt swayed as she crossed long legs, giving the male ample view. From where she sat, she leaned back and traced fingertips down her neck, then her chest, and moved lower still._

_A third demon let out a disgruntled noise as one black, furry ear twitched with annoyance. He shot out a hand to stop her display. A playful smile appeared on her face and a small knowing laugh escaped her as a result._

"_Continue," he growled to the first demon, who had paused in motion because of her distraction._

_The one-eyed demon sent a displeased look his way, but continued along. Faster he walked around, more and more blood pouring from his wound as his pulse sped. As the thick liquid flowed more demandingly, he bent down and touched his crimson hand to the floor. _

_For one entire round, he slid his fingertips across the rock ground of the dimly lit cave. He stopped when he finished the cycle and bit his claws into the ground, gathering a clump in his hand. Squeezing the rock as he closed his fist, he reduced it to small pieces in his grasp. His eye trembled and closed._

"_Rise," he said, his voice a harsh whisper._

_He blinked his eye open as he held his fisted hand over the center of the circle. His arm tensed and he dropped the debris of rock in an abrupt movement._

"_Rise!" he yelled._

_The earth began rumbling inside the circle and the demon jumped back to the safety of the circle's exterior. The she-demon gathered two handfuls of her skirt and suddenly stood, her eyes dancing with mirth. The furry-eared demon stood up straight, watching with anticipation, yet wariness._

_All three shielded their eyes as light streamed out from the edge of the circle where blood stained the ground. It tore from the ground and rose until it hit the ceiling, then streamed inward, captive inside. An invisible barrier restricted the light while it blocked the demons' view of what went on within._

_The light began to dissipate and from within, a scream was heard. The shaking ground stilled as the yell echoed throughout the cave. The light shattered the barrier that held it and spread outward to engulf all that surrounded it. It then scattered, finally permitting the demons to catch a glimpse of what lay inside._

_From the circle's core, a boy rose._

* * *

One line.

One small line, hardly bigger than a few millimeters, was all that adorned the paper in front of him. The beginning of what letter it was or would be, he didn't know. His mind was distracted; his focus, completely gone.

Sighing in defeat, the college student put down his pencil. He was getting absolutely nowhere with the essay he was _trying_ to write for his English course. Usually, he was very good with utilizing the odd language even with all its nonsense rules, but at the moment… it was elusive. His thoughts were just elsewhere, getting lost in the past as they had done so often lately.

Really, he had no reason to. He had stopped thinking about it since so much time had passed from when it had happened. Nevertheless, lately it had found its way into his mind and taken root there.

He turned his head to look out the window, but he was not actually seeing what was there. Memories that had so frequently appeared within the recent weeks came to mind, playing over and over again. But such recollections could be painful… and in his case, they certainly were.

In a desperate attempt to push them away, he returned to his paper, fighting a losing battle in his attempt to concentrate. His right hand moved gracefully over the page as he proceeded to use the pencil—since he was liable to make some sort of error—to write the odd letters.

There, his name was neatly written on the paper in both Japanese and English. Now for the essay—the topic of which was something as trifling as "where did he see himself in ten years".

"It is hard to predict where it is I will be ten years from the present." He murmured to himself in English as he wrote, trying to pick words he knew well and could be used in a comprehensible sentence. "However, I believe—"

"_I don't want to have to regret never knowing your touch because I was afraid of what might happen or what I might feel."_

The pencil tip broke suddenly under the massive amount of pressure he put on it; the action wrenched him violently back to the present. He slowly put the pencil down and reached for another one as he cleared his mind. He couldn't let distraction get the best of him.

"I believe that I will—"

"_I don't want to go."_

Her voice was distant in his mind and he could barely recall what it sounded like, though he did remember the warmth in it whenever she spoke to him. She had looked so sad that day… so hopeless… wanting anything to change their fate… How could they stay together?

_Then don't._

He shook his head as though the action could remove the words that had suddenly resurfaced from his memory. Noticing a red strand of hair obstructing his vision, he tucked it behind his ear as he continued on. "That I will pursue a career that best fits my skills, whether that be—"

"_You won't… you won't leave me like Yasuo did… will you?"_

_Stop_, he thought to himself firmly. He didn't need to keep doing this to himself. What had happened, had happened. He could do nothing to change it. So why was there the eternal agonizing he put himself through when digging up these memories?

"_You won't leave?"_

But in the end… It was she who left.

"_Not forever… just for a little while…"_

A knock snapped him back to attention. His beautiful emerald eyes were drawn toward his door, where the sound had originated from. Well, that was one way to take his mind away from his self-torment.

The soft, gentle voice of his mother drifted through the closed door. "Shuichi, there's a young lady downstairs that would like to see you."

He could practically see the smile on her face, or at least hear it in her voice. She always enjoyed when girls wanting his attention came around since he otherwise kept to himself. After all, his mother just wanted her son to have a normal life. Too bad that had been out of the question since the day he was born.

Kurama sighed and rose from his chair, preparing to deal with another overzealous girl. It was not often one was brave enough to come to his home without any prior association with him, but it did happen on occasion. They always had some excuse or another, wanting the notes from a certain class, asking him to join their study group, or other nonsense.

He took his time walking down the stairs and then slowly turned into the hallway. There he saw the young lady in question, her back facing him as she observed some roses in a vase next to the door. Long black hair, only slightly waved in its descent, reached down to her mid-back, partially covering the girl's light blue blouse. A tan skirt adorned her legs, though it hardly did that, seeing as how it hardly went past mid-thigh. Both of her hands were locked behind her back, clasped together in what he identified as a nervous manner. However, her hands only stayed there until she bent over to smell the flowers, a hand reaching out to steady one in particular.

Kurama continued to approach her slowly. He might have opened his mouth to ask her politely what it was she was here for, if she had not beaten him to it.

"These roses are amazing," she said without turning. Although he had made no sound, she had still known he was there.

He froze a few feet from her. Her voice…

"The most beautiful I've ever seen. Then again, I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Kurama."

His real name… And that scent… No, it couldn't be…

She turned around with a delicate smile adorning her face and a rose still held in one hand.

"Hello, Kurama."

Kagome.


	2. A Plea

**_Deadly Games II: Time and Again_**

**Chapter One: A Plea**

_

* * *

_

_Whispered words left her lips, almost shyly. _

"_I love you, Kurama. You know that, right?"_

_He moved closer and the sweet scent of him surrounded her. His forehead leaned gently against hers, his arms still holding her to him. _

_"Of course. And you know, no matter how much time has passed, no matter what happens…"_

_Emerald eyes that made her heart beat faster stared at her intently from inches away._

"_I will _always_ love you."_

_This feeling… why did it hurt so much? Why did she have to leave him?_

"_Of course."_

_

* * *

_

He was beautiful, but that came as no surprise. The same long, red hair and breathtaking emerald green eyes…

He hadn't changed a bit.

No, that was not entirely true. He had grown and matured just as she had, but to her, he still seemed the same as he was that day oh so long ago. Or maybe, she just _wanted_ him to be the same.

But there he was, standing only a few feet in front of her. She could reach out and touch him if she wanted…

Yet she couldn't even take that one step forward.

How long had it been? Nearly six years, hadn't it? Six years since that day the possessed house had fallen to the ground and they had to say their good-byes. It hadn't been the end for them since they had tried… tried so hard for awhile, but…

He was not talking. Why wasn't he talking? Was he really that shocked? Had he forgotten about her already? Completely dismissed her existence? If that was the case…

"Kurama, what's up? I got this call weird saying to meet you at your—"

The voice came from outside as its owner pushed the ajar front door wide open. His voice cut off and his steps halted as he saw the scene in front of him. Particularly, his eyes were frozen on her.

"No way," the young man said. "Kagome?"

Oh good, someone else to focus her attention on. Kagome turned to the newcomer.

If she thought Kurama looked the same, it was nothing compared to the familiarity of Yusuke. He held himself with the same cockiness and don't-mess-with-me attitude he always had. From his appearance alone, which had not changed much if at all, Kagome could tell he was still as streetwise as always and although some of the softness that had developed during the time they were last together had disappeared, surprisingly some remained.

With one hand on her hip, she grinned. "In the flesh."

He stood in the doorway with one hand grasping the frame. Half in the house, half out. Dark humor came to mind as she thought, _what, is he expecting this house to come alive too, just because I'm here?_ But she doubted that was what was going through his mind.

Yusuke eyed her down to her toes and then back up again. "Still living flesh, right?"

Then again, maybe her thoughts were not as far off as she thought. Or maybe he was just remembering a time when she had not been as _lively_ as she was now.

"No, I'm a coherent zombie. And here you are spoiling my secret 'zombie attack' grand plan, darn you." When he eyed her skeptically, she rolled her eyes and attempted to look disgruntled, but a hint of a smile remained on her lips. "Look. Touch me, I'm warm."

She held out an arm for him to inspect as she said it. When he eyed it with the same teasing suspicion, she grabbed his arm and pulled him into a welcoming hug. He was stiff from surprise, but softened as he hugged her back. It was somewhat awkward, but she did not care. She had missed him just as she had the others.

"Good to see you alive."

His tone was light, but there was an edge of seriousness to it as well. She gave him a firm squeeze before stepping back.

"Same here."

Quickened footsteps abruptly drew Kagome's attention outside as she saw a third familiar face hurrying up toward the house. He had spotted her through the opened door, she knew; that must have been why he was coming closer at a faster rate.

"Kagome!" the orange-haired man called in greeting as he waved.

It was weird thinking of him as a "man" when before he had always been "boy" to her. But now at the ripe age of twenty-one, Kuwabara was no longer the teen she once knew.

She smiled at him from past Yusuke, who in turn moved out of the way as Kagome took a step forward to give Kuwabara a quick hug. It did not last as long as her embrace with Yusuke, but it was welcoming all the same. Although she was never as close with Kuwabara, what they went through together warranted some friendship.

As she pulled away, a voice behind her caused her to turn back around.

"Why are you here, Kagome?"

Maybe she _should_ be paying more attention to her ex-boyfriend. She looked at him and her brown eyes clashed with emerald straight away. His face betrayed nothing. What was he feeling, seeing her greet two of his comrades so warmly? She used to be able to see through that mask, or maybe he just _let_ her see what lay beneath. No longer.

Before she could respond, Yusuke cut in. "Tell me _please_ that this visit is just for good ol' times' sake."

Kuwabara shot him an incredulous look. "Good? What do you remember that was _good_?"

Yusuke paused for a second, tipping his head to the side ever so slightly as he thought. "The food," he replied with a nod.

"…Yeah, the food _was_ good."

She grinned at them. "You two never change."

Yusuke grinned back. "We try."

"And I'm flattered. I cooked some of those meals. Well, me and Kurama." She turned her head to look back at the fox. Softly she asked, "Remember?"

The one, small question held so much more than it appeared to on the surface and yet, even she who asked it, did not fully understand its magnitude.

A moment passed before he nodded. "Yes. I do."

"So…" Kuwabara prodded when a short uncomfortable silence set upon them. "Happy visit, yes? Came for a trip down Memory Lane?"

"I wish," she said with a wistfully shake of her head. "Unfortunately it's less pleasant than that."

"Then we should probably sit down for this," Kurama concluded.

"Probably," she agreed.

Without another word to them, Kurama turned and began walking. Kuwabara was first to follow, while Kagome and then Yusuke trailed behind them. He led them into a small room to the side with a few pieces of furniture in its center. Kagome paused after taking a few steps as she dropped the rose she held onto the table before sitting down. Kagome ended up next to Kuwabara on the couch with Kurama on the armchair on Kuwabara's side.

"So the phone call I got…" Yusuke began as he pulled up a chair. He sat on it backwards across from Kagome with only the coffee table between them.

She put on her best "I'm guilty" face. "I was the one that called."

"Geez, Kagome, you coulda left a name too. That phone call was all mysterious."

She smiled. "Sorry, I wanted it to be a surprise."

"And a surprise it was," Kurama inserted, "though I did not receive a call."

"No need. I'd just see you when I came."

She was sure something changed within his gaze, but it came and went before she could identify it, let alone confirm it was even there.

"By all means, tell us why you came," he told her.

"It's not still that demon guy that wanted the jewel, is it?" Yusuke asked.

She shook her head. "No. Both Naraku and the jewel are long gone." The smile that had been on her face tightened and then altogether disappeared. It was not a topic she wanted to pursue and so she moved the conversation back on course. "You ready for this?"

"Wait, wait. Let me brace myself," Kuwabara said. He took a deep breath, puffing his chest up and then let it out in a rather comical gasp. "Alright, done."

Kagome smiled, knowing it was the reaction he had hoped for. Yusuke, on the other hand, probably would have given Kuwabara a punch if he could reach him. In the name of friendship, of course.

Kagome smoothed her skirt out, keeping her eyes on it for a moment before lifting them. She looked at each of them, one at a time, as she spoke.

"We—the old group still, Inuyasha, Miroku, and the rest—have been troubled by a _lovely_ trio of evildoers lately. Demons, all three. Well, they have a bit of a following, but the main three are the problem. They're planning something… I—_we_ have no idea what though. They've been at it for awhile now, but we've been able to hold them off and keep them out of major trouble."

She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she paused. She considered how to continue before shrugging it off and plowing blindly forward.

"Not too long ago though, they enlisted the help of some…_thing_ else. I don't know what it is, but it's dangerous. It has these strange _powers_… it's too much for us now. This new addition to their group does all these weird things—I don't know how to even explain it—it can avoid all our attacks easily and almost stop the attack before they come… or at least delay them. But this thing doesn't seem to follow all their commands either. It acts independently, defiantly sometimes. Still, when it _does_ do as they say… we usually end up in **big** trouble.

"We can't fight against it alone." Her gaze was on Kuwabara at first, but then she switched to look over at Yusuke. "We need your help."

And to the final one, her gaze turned. "_I_ need your help."

It was a plea. A desperate plea. This was more than she and the others could handle. They believed at first that they could, but the demons only seemed to grow in power. And they were so very determined to carry out whatever it was they were planning. Kagome was completely sure that what they planned would _not_ be good for humankind. But to combat their forces, Kagome and the rest would need a little help of their own.

They did not speak, probably because they were considering it. Unable to sit in the silence, Kagome just rambled on.

"I didn't contact the girls because… well, Keiko and Shizuru are the only ones I'd be able to contact through a phone anyway, and I figured you might not want them involved this time. You didn't want them involved last time and… This is going to be dangerous. You can invite them if you want, if you decide to help…"

A firm no came as a response, just as she expected. Beside that, however, they kept quiet, exchanging looks between them.

"And I had no way of finding Hiei…"

"He's often with Mukuro now," Kurama answered for her.

She could not help but raise an eyebrow. Mukuro? That sounded like a _girl's_ name. Hiei? With a girl? Hard to imagine. Of course, that was looking past her own best friend's time spent with the demon. However, she had never actually seen the two together then. It seemed less real at the time.

But Hiei with another woman… doubtlessly it was better not to mention it to Sango, if the topic ever happened to present itself. Or maybe Kagome was just imagining things worse than they were.

All was quiet when Kurama's mother came into the room with a smile and put a tray of beverages on the table. They gave their thanks and Kagome smiled at her kindly. The silence stayed even after she left for an unbearably long time. Kagome thought of the only question that could bring an end to it for good.

"So… is the silence a no? Unfortunately, I can't stay here all day. I should get back to the others soon. You know what, maybe I should go back now and let you guys think about this—"

She stood swiftly. Kuwabara grasped her arm before she could move again while Yusuke gestured for her to sit down. Kagome hesitated, then did so.

"Come on, Kagome, you know us better than that," Yusuke said with a smirk. "You know we love kickin' some demon ass." He cracked his knuckles. "Plus I _guess_ I wouldn't mind during a favor for an old friend. But you're pushing it."

"Just remembering what happened last time we were all together," Kuwabara added after taking a sip of his drink. He was the only one that had grabbed one. "If you're saying these guys are tough, that kinda makes me nervous for what we're in store for if we say yes. And it's in the past, right? I remember you saying once they live in the past."

"About five hundred years ago," she agreed. "There's a portal—well, you remember it from… last time. The only thing is, I don't know if it'll let you through…"

"We can find a way."

Her eyes snapped to Kurama. Kindness filled his eyes. "We've pulled off some other outrageous stunts before. I believe we'll be able to find a way through that well."

After he finished speaking, she quickly looked away. She was not sure exactly why she had trouble meeting his eyes. She only knew she felt uncomfortable when she did. It was squirm-worthy.

"Alright, sign me up for another crazy adventure," Yusuke announced.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Kurama asked as Yusuke began to stand. "Should you really be leaving Keiko at a time like this?"

Yusuke slumped back into his seat. "Oh… shit."

Kagome's eyes darted from Kurama to Yusuke and back again. "What? At a time like what? What's going on?"

Her voice betrayed her worry. She had not kept in contact with them… What had happened while she was gone?

Kurama smiled gently at her and her obvious concern. It was the first smile she had seen on his face all day. The first smile she had seen from him in years. It seemed real enough and she was willing to believe.

"It seems Keiko has found herself… well, pregnant." Kagome's eyes widened considerably, especially when he added, "She'll be due soon."

"Not too soon though," Yusuke argued. "Still three weeks, a month. Enough time for me to go there and back. And Botan can take care of her while I'm gone. The girl's been fawning over her ever since she discovered she was pregnant anyway."

"The wife won't like you being gone, Urameshi," Kuwabara told his friend. Then added with thought, "but these are sorta special circumstances."

Wait.

Kagome waved both of her hands in front of her in a clear _stop!_ gesture as she shook her head in disbelief. "Wait, wait, wait. Wait. Hold the phone, stop the presses. Did I just hear correctly? You got _married_?"

Kagome knew she was grinning like an idiot, but she did not care. "Wait, it was to Keiko, right?" She was ninety-nine percent sure it was, but, eh, one could never be certain.

He gave her the look that was reserved for people who asked stupid questions. "I lost her once. Knew I didn't wanna do it again." He gazed away as he spoke as though he was almost embarrassed by how softhearted he sounded.

Kuwabara leaned closer to her and muttered, "I'm convinced she forced him into it." Only Kagome heard—though possibly Kurama too—and she giggled.

She leaned forward and gave Yusuke a playful slap. "How come I wasn't invited to the wedding? I could've brought Inuyasha with me." She grinned. "He'd look pretty good in a tux."

Yusuke shivered and Kuwabara eyed her while saying, "You really are evil."

They probably knew how many "sit" commands it would have taken before the half-demon was forced to put on any such garment. By then, of course, the tux would have been almost ripped to shreds, but she would have probably made him wear it anyway, rips and all.

Yusuke watched Kagome as an evil glint appeared in her eyes, to which he narrowed his brown eyes at her. Before he knew what was happening, she had darted forward and grabbed his hand. She pushed the long sleeve back to reveal a ring on one of his fingers.

"Look at that, your wedding ring," she told him. "Even though your married, you don't seem the type to walk around with a ring on. Kinda ruins the tough guy act, dontcha think?"

He snatched his hand back and absentmindedly fiddled the ring. Then he shook his sleeve and it covered his hand once more, completely obscuring the ring. He muttered something about Keiko.

"That girl really is the only one that you let push you around," Kagome said with a laugh. Feeling playfully, she gave him her best puppy dog look as she said in a hopeless voice, "Does this mean… _we_ can never be together?"

It was entirely worth it when Kuwabara did a spit take before gasping as he partially choked and regarded her with wide eyes. Remembering who sat on his left, Kagome suddenly regretted her words. She refused to glance at him and kept her eyes trained on Yusuke. She was afraid of what she might see. Or maybe what she would not.

Yusuke only smirked at her. "Maybe in another life."

She snapped her fingers. "Damn. Oh well."

They had always flirted a bit in a friendly way while in that damned house—that is, before Keiko was taken. It had never meant anything and still did not now. She was only glad not much had changed.

She braced her hands on her knees and then stood. No one tried to stop her this time.

"I guess it's about time I go then. Who knows what that trio is doing at the moment. Hopefully, I'll see you guys soon…?"

"Count on it," Yusuke said as he, too, stood.

Kagome gave him a quick hug and then did the same to Kuwabara. She hesitated, then walked over to Kurama.

She did not meet his eyes or look at his face before she wrapped her arms around him. His body was so warm, she felt the heat as her cheek pressed firmly against his chest. Or maybe the heat came from the faint blush that stained her cheeks. She felt her heartbeat speed up and prayed that he would not feel it.

He only lightly held her in his arms. There was no tightening, no sign that he wanted her to stay in the embrace. Although part of her liked the touch and the comfort it was meant to present, most of her was telling her to pull away. Overall, the hug was entirely awkward. More awkward than her hug with Yusuke earlier.

As soon as she could, she backed away from the embrace. She flashed him a smile that did not quite reach her eyes and she wasn't even sure if he saw it. She only quickly looked up at him before quickly spinning around. She said another quick goodbye that she hoped was coherent; her mind was not entirely focused enough to know anymore.

Kagome began her retreat toward the door alone. Yusuke threw Kurama an appraising look before following Kagome out. Quiet step in as the two left.

"Far as I remembered, you two used to have something," Kuwabara said, giving Kurama a sidelong glance. "What was that then? You coulda at least have seen her out."

Kuwabara. Always the gentleman.

Kurama silently got to his feet and stooped only for a moment to pick up the rose Kagome had laid upon the table. He left the room without a glance, replacing the rose in its place by the door.

"Things change."

_

* * *

_

It was all wrong.

She was Kagome, a girl who could unflinchingly stand in front of a demon with an intention to kill her, yet still have enough sass to talk back to it. She did not run away. She stood and faced whatever was opposing her, even if it seemed foolish at the time.

Then why did it feel like she was running away now? From someone she used to love?

Her steps froze. Used to? So that was what it had become. Used to. Huh. Five years apart could change a lot.

"Somethin' wrong?"

She glanced up at Yusuke and flashed him the same smile she had given Kurama just before. Fake. Completely and utterly fake. It was enough to fool Yusuke though, or as far as she knew.

She raised her foot ever so slightly to take a step, then put it down almost immediately afterward. Something was weird. The hairs on her arm stood on end. She felt as though she had a crick in her neck. Something… What was watching her?

She turned abruptly. Nope, nothing behind her. She glanced at the house, then at the garden beside it. Then, feeling foolish, she glanced upward… and saw what she was unknowingly seeking.

A figure loomed at the top of a tree beside Kurama's house. She rested a hand on her forehead to shade her eyes from the sun so that she could better see the figure. What she saw was just as she expected.

A familiar crimson-eyed demon stood on one of the higher branches, staring down on her. She wondered how long he had been there and if he had known or even sensed her coming. Maybe it was coincidence and maybe it was not. Had he heard them somehow as they talked inside? Possibly. She could not remember if there had been any windows that could have been opened. Her attention had entirely been for the three boys. Some more than others, though she would not admit it.

Kagome gave a small wave to which he did nothing in reply, although she knew he saw it. He just remained where he was, watching her like a hawk. Hiei was as distant and cold as ever. It still made her want to shiver. Well, at least some things didn't change.

Was he reading her thoughts now? Years ago when they had been in the possessed mansion, she had never been aware of that particular ability of his since he had never used it against her, or at least, she did not think so. Sango had only informed her afterward. Could he read her mind now from a distance?

It was better for her to leave quickly then. She did not want him to learn things he should not know.

And with Kagome none the wiser as she thought that last sentence, the demon's eyes narrowed on her before he abruptly disappeared.


	3. Down The Rabbit Hole

**_Deadly Games II: Time and Again_**

**Chapter Two: Down the Rabbit Hole**

* * *

The blue-haired deity reached out to touch the edge of the well and nearly yanked her hand back at once. Such an odd power radiated off of it, one that gave her chills just from being in the general vicinity. The last time she had been near it, this portal that should not have existed, she had been too exhausted, both mentally and physically, to notice how much it upset her senses. Now, it was almost too much. 

"Unusual, isn't it?"

Botan started at the voice, though not as much as she might have had she not recognized it.

"The portal? Yes, it is. I'm surprised we didn't discover it sooner. Even Koenma didn't know it was here until Ka…" She let her voice trail off before she could continue, but Kurama was unfazed by the name.

"I saw her," he said in a simple statement, as though the words meant little to him. She understood though. If he could handle seeing her once just fine, why would her mere name have any effect on him?

A smile lit Botan's face at the thought of their meeting. "Oh? How'd that go? I bet you two were in each other's arms within moments!"

To her chagrin, he merely shook his head the slightest bit. "Just a formal greeting."

She opened her mouth to continue, burning to question him on this new development, but his eyes drifted past her and landed on the well. She wondered if he was reminiscing on the last time he was here, all those years ago. Studying his face carefully, she thought he must have been.

A particularly loud argument drifted in from outside, alerting them to the arrival of their friends. Even though she couldn't hear exactly what they were saying or distinguish their individual voices, she had little doubt about who was outside.

The door slid open. "—crazy. There's no way he could win!" Yusuke argued as he stepped into the dark well-house first.

Kuwabara was hot on his heels with a reply. "But he's powerful. And resourceful."

"He's half a foot tall! And he's yellow. Little yellow… _things_ with stripes can't beat—"

Shifting her weight to one foot and placing her hands on her hips, Botan interrupted, "and what are you two bickering about?"

Yusuke removed one hand from his pocket to jerk a thumb toward Kuwabara. "This genius thinks that Pikachu could win in a fight against a T-Rex. The T-Rex would totally kick his ass."

"Would not. He'd fry the lizard," Kuwabara reasoned.

"A little shock isn't gonna hurt something that big. Besides, the dinosaur would swallow the rat in one bite."

"You two are ridiculous," Botan scolded in a motherly way. She turned her gaze toward Yusuke. "First of all, although the Tyrannosaurus has the advantage, Pikachu _could_ potentially kill the dinosaur if he lured him into water or got him wet somehow. Conduction and all."

Kuwabara gave a triumphant smile, but before he could gloat, Botan continued, "And you. You need to watch a channel that's not geared toward ten year olds. Discovery channel every once and awhile. Seriously."

Kuwabara's face took on a sullen look while Yusuke crossed his arms, but both kept their peace—for the moment.

"As much as the idiot-boy getting pulled down a peg amuses me, let's get on with this."

The deity's gaze lifted and saw red eyes peaking out from the shadows, their gaze directed on her. Hiei's accompaniment in this… mission of sorts had never been officially announced to her, but the others had anticipated his presence. How he even knew about it, though, was unknown to her.

Botan clapped her hands together sharply to draw their attention to her. "Oh, goody. You're all here, which means now we can begin!"

She watched as the fire demon dropped neatly to the ground, landing closer to the well than to the others. When she felt she had all of their attention, she went on. "You boys are lucky this portal already exists. It'd take months—no, probably years—to create one that would let you out precisely where Kagome and the others are."

Kuwabara's gazed fixed itself on the well and he gave a shudder. "It wasn't this powerful before was it? I don't remember it giving off such a weird vibe."

Botan took in his words and thought on them. Her senses were not the only ones upset by the portal's presence, it seemed. "I was thinking the same thing before, actually. I think it might have to do with Koenma expanding it, then."

She looked back at the well and took a few steps closer to it. Her brow furrowed slightly as she brushed her fingertips lightly over the wood. "It's odd though. There are traces… distortions." She glanced up at them. "It's been played with before."

Yusuke didn't look particularly interested in the fact, and Kuwabara gave her a look that told her he was just as puzzled as she was. It was Kurama who ended up clarifying the mess.

"Six years ago when they crossed over into this era, the demon that led them to the possessed house must have expanded the portal to let the others through, despite the fact that it should not have been possible," Kurama informed them. "Whether it has been tampered with beyond that, I do not know."

No one else had any knowledge of the subject, and Botan was surprised he even remembered something like that from so long ago. Then again, his intellect was one of most remarkable things about him.

"In any event," Botan said, "you should be able to go through—in theory."

Kuwabara drew closer to her to examine the well himself. She noticed the goosebumps that crawled across his skin and the way all the hairs on his arms stood on end.

"In theory?" he questioned. "That doesn't sound good."

"Well, it's not like anyone's tested it before. Kagome and Inuyasha are really the only ones that should be able to go through, for whatever reason. But Koenma's had his best people working on this, so you probably won't have a problem." She averted her eyes and in a low voice, mumbled, "Though there's a very, very slight chance you might come out horribly disfigured…." Louder, she continued, "But anyway—"

"Wait a sec—" Yusuke interrupted, but Botan just plowed right on as though she didn't hear him.

"—you should probably just hop to it. There's nothing more I have to tell you. Only the obvious: Be careful."

Yusuke eyed her suspiciously, but to her fortune, he let the previous comment he might or might not have heard in its entirety slide. "Hey, you know us," Yusuke reminded her.

She poked the end of Yusuke's nose with her finger. "That's what I'm worried about," she said with a smile. "I almost wish I could go and see them again… but I have to look after your missus," she accused.

Yusuke swatted her hand away. "Don't point your finger at me, you wanted to," Yusuke countered, which Botan couldn't argue with. The thought of the little baby being born made her giddy, yet nervous at the same time. It _was_ Yusuke's kid, after all. She couldn't imagine what a terror the child might be to raise if the baby had some of his or her father's more… _redeeming_ qualities. Either way, she couldn't wait to greet the newborn.

"We won't be long anyway," he added.

"Back before you know it," Kuwabara agreed.

She smiled brightly at them, and then gestured to the well beside her. "Alright then, who's brave enough to go first?"

Botan nearly jumped out of her skin when Hiei appeared in front of her, standing on the edge of the well. He let out a disgruntled noise as he eyed the bottom before he silently dropped inside. Yusuke and Kurama came closer to watch, and just as it seemed Hiei was about to land, he disappeared without warning, not a trace of him left behind.

"Guess he made it," Kuwabara said, though there was a trace of doubt in his voice.

Yusuke gave the ferry girl a skeptical look. "Or he could turn up 'horribly disfigured' somewhere."

"Yusuke, please! Koenma would only use the very best for you!" Botan replied innocently, to which Yusuke responded with a disbelieving snort.

"We should follow quickly," Kurama interjected. "I fear what mischief Hiei will do if we make him wait too long."

Kurama turned to Botan, then, and gave a short farewell and a small smile before he followed Hiei with ease. He, too, vanished, and she could only assume he made it safely to the other side.

"See ya later, Botan," Kuwabara told her. "Give Yukina my love for me, will you?"

She nodded and after he leapt in, she turned to the last one. "Well, what are you waiting for? We have friends in trouble over there."

He rolled his eyes a bit and said, "I'll go over there, kick some demon ass, and be back before you know it."

On that note, he vaulted over the edge and went down the well, through the portal, and, if all went right, into the era the others resided in. With him gone though, it left Botan all by her lonesome in the shrine. Some of her cheery disposition disappeared as memories of last time flooded her mind. Her eyes betrayed her despair.

"Good luck," she whispered into the emptiness.

* * *

To say Yusuke's landing was bad was a dire understatement. 

After feeling like every molecule in his body was being torn asunder, his entire being rejecting the transition between times, the portal in between spat him out and deposed of him like a piece of garbage. His shoulder blades hit the ground first, and his head snapped backward quickly after, clunking against the floor painfully. The well was too cramped to have his legs spread out in front of him, which lead to them being bent in the odd ways that they were up the side of the well.

"Damn it, who the hell puts a portal in a freakin' well!" he yelled at the air in all his frustration.

Sunlight streamed into only one of his eyes; Kuwabara, as he climbed up the side of the well, blocked the rest from hitting him.

"Hurry up, Urameshi!" Kuwabara called down to him.

Grumbling, Yusuke twisted and shifted until he was in a more natural position. After giving his abused head a rub, he went to the side and began climbing up. It didn't take long, or much effort, to get to the top. He reached it just in time to hear Kuwabara start humming the theme to "The Twilight Zone."

"That seems oddly appropriate," Kurama commented.

Their surroundings were foreign enough to Yusuke that he silently agreed. They stood in a clearing with only trees around them as far as the eye could see, not even a hint of civilization, excluding the well he and the others had just climbed out of. There was not a building or another creature in sight, just good old nature.

"So, I'm guessin' there's no welcome wagon," Yusuke said.

"It was a week ago that she came," Kurama reminded him. "They don't know when to expect us, if at all."

"So… how are we supposed to find them?" he asked, a touch of impatience in his voice.

Kuwabara jerked his head at Hiei. "Why doesn't he make himself useful and use that creepy eye of his."

It actually sounded like a good plan, but Hiei seemed intent on ignoring it, if only because Kuwabara had been the one to suggest it. Not to mention the fact that he'd not even bothered to ask the demon directly, which made Hiei less forgiving.

Kuwabara noticed Hiei's blatant inattention too, his awareness of the fire apparition's disrespect made obvious by the frown that tugged his lips downward. Annoyed, he went on, "Just as I thought. The runt lost all his power while playing tour guide and directing humans like a good seeing eye dog."

Hiei sent him an icy glare that might have intimidated Kuwabara years ago, but now it only sent a slight chill down his spine. He knew the demon well enough to know he would not actually harm him for his words…right?

"Watch that tongue or I'll rip it out."

Then again, maybe not. It still didn't stop his next words, though. "I'd like to see you try!"

When Hiei made the slightest move that caused Kuwabara to jerk back instinctively, Yusuke let out a barking laugh.

"Like old times," Yusuke said.

It had been awhile since the four odd companions had come together for anything resembling a real mission. Hiei was off in Makai the majority of the time, doing his part by leading wandering humans back to the Human World with their memories of the experience wiped clean. When Kuwabara wasn't romancing the hybrid demon's sister, he spent his time working at, of all places, a flower shop, which Yusuke never ceased giving him hell for. Even Kurama had settled down to a somewhat normal life, attending college and working at his stepfather's company. Yusuke, himself, kept busy with odd jobs when he wasn't with Keiko. They all had their own separate lives to take care of, though there had been a few demons or a small threat to take care of here and there, but those were infrequent and even then it was rare that all four actually handled it together.

Yusuke's train of thought was rather abruptly derailed as his gaze and three others snapped up when a shriek pierced through the air. It was not a human sound that they heard, nor anything sounding remotely friendly.

"The woods," Kurama commented, his eyes sharp on the trees.

After a few looks shared quickly among them, they wordlessly left the clearing and allowed the trees to surrounded them. They walked a short while through the woods, silence shared among the four as they trekked through the wilderness. It took a shorter amount of time than Yusuke anticipated to reach the source of the noise.

The demon, though human-like in appearance, used all four limbs to slink around the forest, not at all unobtrusive as it sniffed around, obviously in search of something. It let out another shriek in what was probably frustration when it failed to find whatever it was.

Yusuke winced slightly at the unpleasant sound, as did Kuwabara. Then it came again and again as the pitiful demon scratched furiously at the ground and nearby trees. It had not even noticed him and the others yet.

"This damn thing is making my ears bleed," he muttered to himself.

Even after he spoke, the demon didn't even glance upward. He rolled his eyes and plugged a finger in one ear as it let out yet another annoying shriek. He let out an aggravated breath and lifted a hand up, ready to blast the damned youkai straight to Spirit World.

"That's it! You—"

A different cry startled him, and he stopped the attack just in time as something fell from above and landed right on top of the demon. Both bodies fell heavily and rolled across the ground before one untangled itself from the other. The person jumped backward as the demon took a swipe at….

_Of course it's her, why wouldn't it be?_ Yusuke thought wryly.

Kagome skirted across the dirt to avoid the extended claws. As the demon bound forward, she kicked out one of her legs and clipped the youkai on the shoulder as it leapt and sent it rolling away.

The action put her in a position across from Yusuke and the others, and her gaze snapped up, surprise apparent in her eyes.

"Hey! You guys came!" she called in greeting. Her voice gave away her delight.

In the split second she took her attention off the youkai though, it attempted to take her down. Yusuke heard a sound begin to leave Kuwabara's throat just as he himself was about to warn her, but before either could say a word, a whip coiled around one of the demon's limbs in mid-leap and jerked it out of Kagome's path.

Kagome seemed startled as she looked behind her and saw the demon dragged across the ground, courtesy of Kurama, before the whip released it. Kagome sent the fox a fleeting smile before she hopped to her feet and busied herself with brushing the dirt off her outfit.

She lifted her gaze once again a few moments later, but it was Yusuke she was looking at. "Mind disposing this guy for me?" she asked of him.

He smirked in response and was more than happy to take out the demon. One blast of his spirit gun was all it took to completely obliterate the weak youkai.

Kagome was a bit out of breath, but laughed all the same. "I wish I could do that." She held up a hand in imitation of Yusuke. "Pow, gone! It'd be much simpler than having to carry my bow around. This demon just broke the one I had with me and I liked that one too!"

Yusuke gestured to the tree where Kagome had been perched and then to the demon—or at least, what remained of it. "And just what the hell was that?"

She grinned. "I got the jump on it. Literally."

"Hey, whatever works," Kuwabara interjected with one of his trademark, somewhat goofy, smiles.

"Noticed that," Yusuke replied to Kagome. "Not what I meant."

Kagome gave a carefree shrug as she tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "You guys have good timing. I was actually on my way home to give one of you a call to see what was going on, but this demon started following me. After it broke my bow, I figured a nice jump down from a tree would at least put it out of commission long enough for me to sneak away." She didn't meet any of their gazes as she spoke, her eyes just looking here and there in the woods as she spoke. Linking her hands behind her back, she continued, "I'm really glad you guys decided to come, though. I know it'll help a lot."

She finally brought her gaze up to look at them as a whole. An emotion flickered over her face that Yusuke couldn't decipher as she spotted the last of their party. "And Hiei came with you too. I'm glad."

Yusuke almost wanted to question her about it, but decided against it just as someone spoke.

"New friends?"

Yusuke gazed upward and the others did too, until they found the source of the voice. The body attached to the voice looked entirely human, but that fact that he was sitting rather precariously on a high branch effectively ruined that illusion. From what Yusuke could make out, despite the distance, the demon had a rather toned body, muscles abound. He would have been strong despite whatever extra strength being a demon gave him, no doubt there. One arm, clearly ripped but not overly so, was casually dangling over a drawn up knee while the other held what looked like a staff. His black hair was rather short except for the pieces in front that covered almost the entire right side of his face. It probably hindered his sight on the one side, which made Yusuke suspicious as to why a demon that was so obviously a fighter would let his hair put him at a disadvantage. Still, all in all, and particularly because of that flaw, Yusuke was confident he could take him.

Upon hearing the voice, Kagome's expression froze, and her body tensed. Then a sweet, but undoubtedly fake smile plastered itself on her face, and she turned neatly around. The display caused Yusuke to frown and, after glancing at his comrade, he saw that Kurama was watching her intently with an odd expression.

"Maro!" she greeted. "How lovely to see you. And alone too. My, my, to what do we owe the pleasure? You're usually joined at the hip with that girlfriend of yours."

Although Yusuke could not be sure, he thought for sure that Maro's visible eye narrowed, though an unpleasant smirk appeared on his face all the same.

"She had other business to attend to," the demon replied. "As did Torao. He's been entertaining your hanyou friend."

She shrugged rather nonchalantly, though her back was rigid. "You know cats and dogs. They just love to fight."

"You're witty as ever, Priestess."

To everyone's surprise, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Don't call me that."

"Too many memories for you?" He acted as though he was considering it, tilting his head slightly in thought, but it certainly didn't seem genuine. "Yes, I remember hearing about that priestess' demise. Both times." Maro toyed with the staff in his one hand, his gaze on it, before looking back at Kagome. "Took it hard, did you?"

"I never was a priestess. You know that already."

"But it never ceases to amuse me how annoyed you get when I call you so, _Priestess_," Maro replied, drawing out the word purposively.

Kagome's stance did not ease up; if anything, she grew tenser. She did, however, jump a bit in surprise and dart her gaze backward when Kuwabara put a hand on her shoulder. Yusuke stepped forward and slightly in front of Kagome in that same moment.

Yusuke crossed his arms and stared up at the demon, his eyes reflecting his boredom. "As much as this is all very _fascinating_, are we gonna fight or what? 'Cause if this is all just gonna be a bunch of pointless chatter crap to get each other pissed off, I'd rather be somewhere else."

"What're you even worried 'bout, Urameshi?" Kuwabara asked before Maro could respond. His voice was raised just to make sure the demon heard every word. "This guy's obviously just some 'fraidy cat with no power if he has to be _all_ the way up there in that tree to taunt one girl." He gave a goofy grin then. "Or maybe it's just us? We should be flattered! He's obviously not brave enough to face the great Kuwabara and his pals."

Kuwabara gestured at the others as he finished, though Hiei cut in, "I would hope you'd be wise enough to exclude me as one of your friends."

"'Cept Hiei," Kuwabara amended. "The midget doesn't count."

The demon began to twirl his staff in a well-practiced manner, using both hands now. "Don't test me, boy. You have no weapons. And it looks like your friends don't either." He picked up the pace and the air around the staff whistled dangerously. "Don't get on my bad side."

"Or what? You'll hit us over the head with your stick? Ooo, scary," Yusuke mocked.

Maro responded with no words, but instead let his weapon do the speaking for him. As the staff spun in his hands, a form of yellow light appeared on both ends. It grew brighter and brighter until Yusuke realized it for the demonic energy that it was; however, by that time he jerked the staff forward and both balls of energy detached themselves. They hurtled forward, one aimed for Yusuke while the other was headed Kuwabara's way.

Yusuke smirked as he lazily lifted his hand and shot out a small blast that connected with the orb headed his way. It crackled in midair, and then there was a flash as both disappeared, but not without sending out a burst of wind in every direction.

Kuwabara had about as much trouble as Yusuke did dispersing his threat. With ease, Kuwabara's spirit sword appeared in his hands and, swinging it like a bat, he knocked the blast right back at Maro.

Maro dodged and jumped to a different branch as the power connected with the limb he had been sitting on. One hand against the tree for balance, he gazed from the sizzling branch, down to the newcomers with new attentiveness.

"…Interesting," he said, more to himself than to them, but Yusuke heard all the same.

He twisted one end of his staff then, and a blade shot out. Then he abruptly twirled it and sliced at the tree's trunk. The weapon went straight through and he kicked the side of the tree, angling the severed piece toward them. Hiei disappeared from sight as Yusuke, closest to Kagome, grabbed her and scrambled to one side. Kuwabara and Kurama jumped to the other as the very top of the tree came crashing down. By the time they were settled and glanced up, Maro was gone.

"Who was _that_?" Yusuke questioned.

Kagome let out a sigh. "Maro, one of my three biggest nuisances. Four now, actually. But yeah, he's one of the ones I mentioned to you. I think."

"You think that first demon was sent by him?" Kuwabara asked.

Kagome seemed to toy with the idea, but ultimately shook her head. "No, his lackeys are usually stronger than that. That first demon was probably just bad luck on my part."

Kagome's attention turned away from Yusuke and over to Kurama instead when the fox spoke.

"That wasn't very wise, Hiei," Kurama commented to his friend when he reappeared by his side.

She titled her head slightly as she regarded one and then the other. "Why? What'd he do?"

His eyes on her made her want to squirm, but she kept still and stopped herself from looking away when Kurama's emerald eyes lifted to meet hers.

"He let it be known to a potential threat that he doesn't care much for Kuwabara. It could be used against us later."

"Aw, the shrimp knows he likes me," Kuwabara interjected. "He just won't admit it."

"Highly doubtful," Hiei responded.

Kuwabara almost looked like he wanted to ruffle Hiei's hair and treat him like a child if only to annoy him, but Hiei seemed to notice it and sent him a look that all but said, "Touch me and you die."

Kagome, observing the exchange, started laughing. "I really did miss you guys!"

The comment gained her smiles from Kuwabara and Yusuke, while Hiei just glanced away. Kurama's expression, however, she could not read… probably because his face was carefully devoid of one.

"So, where are the others?" Yusuke asked.

Kagome didn't know if he could feel the slight tension building when she looked at Kurama and was trying to get rid of it, or if he was actually just curious. She guessed the latter.

She gestured for them to follow her as she began walking. "Miroku and Shippo are in the village," she told them. "And apparently, Inuyasha is off fighting one of the trio. You'll no doubt meet him later."

Purposely, she left out Sango's whereabouts. _Since she didn't want to come…_she thought to herself grimly.

She felt more than saw the sharp gaze of a certain demon that was following her. She quickened her pace but stilled completely when she heard the harsh words in her mind.

_And why is that?_

She jumped and let out a small "eek" when she heard the words. They were hot in her mind, burning and uncomfortably foreign. Instinctively, she jumped behind the nearest person, Yusuke, and put him physically between her and Hiei. Unfortunately, she knew that it would do nothing to keep out the intrusion.

"Hey!" Yusuke yelled. "What're you—"

Both her hands on Yusuke's back, she pushed him forward and toward Hiei. "Ah! He's cheating!" she accused. _Don't think about it, don't think about it_... "Tell him to stop reading my mind!"

She felt the light pressure as he tried to sift through her recent memories. She clung to them jealously and did her best to keep them out of his grasp. Not that she even had an inkling of how she could go about doing that, but by the way the pressure increased, Kagome knew she had to be doing something right.

"What're you trying to hide?" Yusuke asked her.

"They're just my personal thoughts! He has no right to know them!" she protested. _And Sango would kill me if she knew he got it out of me. Ack, don't think! Don't think about Sango. That's what he wants to know and I promised_….

The first wave of pain came as he prodded her further and with a forcefulness she did not know how to protect herself against. She had no training in this; her mind had always been her own sanctuary. A place that was hers alone. He had no right!

_Why is he this persistent? Ah!_ She wasn't sure of she uttered the last part aloud as well as in her mind.

_Tell me_.

She heard the near-growled command, but refused to acknowledge him in any way. Pain came again, and, as he wielded such power against her, she felt the words she didn't want him to know being torn from her mind, one by one.

_Sango… sapphire… gone… keep… out…_.

Her grip tightened on the back of Yusuke's shirt, gathering it tightly in her fists, and she pressed her forehead against his back. She thought the other might have been talking, saying something, even arguing, but she was aware of nothing else, entirely absorbed in her own thoughts and attempting to protect them. She heard nothing but her own voice in her mind, saw nothing but the darkness of the back of her eyelids.

Until…

"Hiei," the all too familiar voice said, a sharpness to it. His tone was a warning that advised the telepath to back off. _Now_.

There was a moment when she thought the pain would continue and only intensify, but then she felt the foreign energy recede completely. Finally, her tense body relaxed, and she slowly let go of her hold on Yusuke. Then, she turned her head to the side and saw her rescuer closer than he had been before.

Kagome knew there were only tears in her eyes because of the pain but felt exposed all the same. Her gaze dropped to the ground. "Thanks," she said softly, addressing Kurama.

She took a moment to compose herself, collecting her thoughts, and took in a deep breath. Someone touched her arm gently, but she lightly shook it off. Then she opened her eyes and turned her gaze to Hiei, a frown on her face.

"That wasn't very nice, you know," she told him.

Hiei met her gaze evenly, obviously feeling no shame in what he'd done. It was Kagome that looked away first with a shake of her head. She supposed it was somewhat justified. Although they were her own thoughts and she was annoyed at him for trying to pry, at the same time, a part of her could understand why. She did not know him all that well, but when it came to Sango….

"Come on, I'll show you the way to the village," she told the group.

The journey was not a long one, and it was mostly Kagome and Kuwabara that filled the silence with idle chatter while Yusuke put in his two cents here and there. Kurama made only a comment or two, and Hiei was completely silent, though that was not unusual.

Yusuke didn't know what to expect, but when the village came in sight, he found himself less than impressed. It was pretty damn small by his standards, no more than bunch of huts just thrown into the ground.

"Guess we really are five hundred years in the past," Yusuke said to no one in particular.

Kagome gestured to one of the homes at the edge of the village as they drew closer. "The villagers built that one for me a few years back since I was here so often and all, and they were gracious for the help with some of their demon problems," she informed them. "Sango usually stays there with me when she's around."

Her gaze darted quickly to Hiei and then away, but he didn't react to her words. As they continued walking, she waved to another home that they were headed straight for. "That used to belong to Kaede, I don't know if you remember me ever mentioning her. She was…" she seemed hesitant, then finished. "…a priestess. Miroku and sometimes Inuyasha stay there now."

Just as she finished speaking, a familiar face emerged from the hut. Yusuke nearly let out a snort when he saw him still wearing the same robes of a monk he had on last time they had seen him. Yeah, some monk _he_ was.

Miroku smiled and acknowledged the newcomers with a nod. "It's been awhile."

Yusuke stubbornly crossed his arms over his chest. "Hmm, sorry. You're not ringing any bells… though I might remember a hand or two groping my _girlfriend_."

The monk feigned innocence, staring at them with guiltless blue eyes, and even upped the ante by placing a hand over his heart as though he were appalled. "And who would do such a dastardly deed? Surely you're not accusing me…." He gazed beyond them as though looking for someone else. "Though I do notice you're a few members short this time around."

The lighthearted atmosphere melted away and altogether disappeared after what should have been a harmless comment completely killed it.

Kurama was the one to respond. "I'm afraid that if this mission is as dangerous as Kagome has made it sound, it wouldn't have been wise to bring them along. We wouldn't have brought them last time had we but known what we were getting into."

Miroku nodded solemnly just as Kagome tugged on his sleeve to get his attention, worry filling her eyes.

"How is he?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head. "His condition hasn't changed."

Her expression turned to a saddened one, but she didn't seem surprised by his answer. Kuwabara was the one who opened his mouth to question her, but before he could form the words, she gestured for them to follow her and ducked inside the hut Miroku had just exited. They followed her dutifully inside, but after that she merely stopped and didn't say a word.

Yusuke's patience grew thin. "Kagome, what—"

And then she stepped aside.

And Yusuke immediately shut up.

He was left staring at Shippo, just as he remembered him from years ago. The fact that he did not appear to have aged a day, however, was not what bothered him. There was something off about it, something he noticed right away that really troubled him.

He wasn't moving. Not an inch, not at all. His eyes didn't blink, his body didn't move, his chest didn't rise or fall. He was just… _there_; his eyes staring ahead, poised on just the one foot with the other in the air, as though in mid-motion. On his face was an expression of permanent fright, haunted eyes frozen in their terror.

"Holy…. What the hell happened to him?!" Yusuke blurted out.

Kurama cut in before she could answer. "May I…?"

She started a bit, and then nodded mutely. Kurama knelt in front of the other kitsune, inspecting his state. Lightly, he touched a hand to the kit's forehead, but there was no response.

As Kurama continued his evaluation, Kagome began her explanation. "The handy work of Maro's newest friend. I told you he had weird powers."

She sat down next to Shippo and near Kurama, and reached out a hand to run it fondly over the younger kitsune's hair. Her sadness was more apparent than ever.

"He's been like this for two weeks, no change," Miroku chimed in.

"I was afraid without food and water… but he seems fine. Just… frozen in place," Kagome finished.

She ran her fingers through his bangs, but they fell right back to their exact place once her hand passed through. Letting out a sigh, she traced her fingertips absentmindedly down the side of his face. Her breath escaped her when her hand brushed against another and she took her hand hastily away.

If her hurried movements affected Kurama, he didn't show it visibly. "I've never seen something quite like this."

"Neither have we; that's why this was the last straw," Kagome replied.

"How did—" Kuwabara started, but he cut off when screams sounded from outside as well as an urgent cry of "demon!"

Kagome perked at the sound and stood up once more. "More demons? I must be a demon magnet today."

"Don't be stupid," Yusuke said as he turned to follow her Kagome.

"Yeah," Kuwabara said, falling into step with them, "you're _always_ a demon magnet."

She pouted. "Miroku, they're being mean!" she told him as she gave him her best puppy-dog look.

"Hard to argue with the truth though, isn't it?" the monk teased as he pushed the flap aside.

Light assaulted Yusuke as it streamed into the room, and he stepped blindly outside, feeling exposed in the sightless moment. Then, his eyes adjusted, and he spotted the source of the villagers' panic.

That is, it was pretty impossible _not_ to. It towered over the village, its shadow cast over nearly half of the houses. The villagers caught underneath the youkai's shade scattered clumsily away and into the light, a few jumping out of the way as a large clawed hand tried to scoop them up. Some of the men bravely took up weapons, spears and the like, but they did little more than prick the demon's legs and hands when it attacked with them.

Yusuke cracked his knuckles. "Well, might as well start makin' ourselves useful."

Kuwabara grinned and summoned his sword to his hand in response. Then the two charged forward, an entirely too gleeful expression on both their faces. The other two, however, did not move from their place.

"Not joining?" Kagome asked, glancing at Kurama and Hiei.

"I don't believe this demon is mere coincidence," the fox replied.

She pondered what exactly he meant by that. True, it seemed unusual that two unrelated demons—three, if she counted Maro—would attack in one day within an hour of each other. It was just a little too coincidental. She was almost positive, though, that the first one she had encountered was not sent purposefully, but this one….

Kagome cast a sidelong glance at the fox. So, he believed this youkai was sent by Maro, then? If that was true, the current demon was probably only sent to test out what exactly Kagome's new friends were capable of.

"You don't want him to know all your tricks just yet," Kagome said slowly as she began to understand. "Keeping your abilities under wraps until they're needed?" She finished with a questioning lilt to her voice.

Kurama gave a slight nod, but it was Hiei who responded with, "At least these six years have filled your head with more than just air."

"Hey!"

Yusuke glanced back when he heard Kagome's loud protest, but soon turned back to focus on the youkai. He noted Kurama and Hiei's absence, but didn't think much of it.

"Looks like it's just you and me, Kuwabara," Yusuke said. "I'll try to leave somethin' for you to do."

"Wipe that cocky smile off your face, Urameshi," Kuwabara retorted. "I could take this demon blindfolded!"

"Wanna bet on that?"

Kuwabara looked flustered at the comment, made no better by Yusuke's mischievous smirk, and opened his mouth to no doubt retract the claim, but Yusuke merely let out a barking laugh.

His mirth distracted him, however, and he nearly failed to notice the oversized claws that swiped at him. He leapt backward in time, and then dashed forward and jumped on top of the arm before the demon could draw it back entirely.

Kuwabara used his sword to attack the demon's legs to keep its focus split on the two of them while a few of the village's men remained to help him in that particular feat. Yusuke kept his balance long enough to reach the youkai's shoulder, and when a demonic hand tried to squish him there like a bug, he leapt forward and grabbed onto the thing's ear.

He hollered obnoxiously straight into its eardrum, peels of laughter escaping him as the youkai tried clumsily to swat away the unseen nuisance. Yusuke grabbed onto pieces of straggly hair and hoisted himself up to avoid the blows, and then swung himself toward the demon's face and kicked out one leg. His foot connected flawlessly with the demon's eye.

The youkai let out a fierce yell, one of its hands reaching up to cover the injured area while the other blindly tried to find Yusuke as he stood on its shoulder. In response, Yusuke merely shot out a small blast when the hand got too close, knocking it out of the way and severing a fat finger.

All in all, Yusuke was pretty damn confident he had things completely under control and that maybe it was time to finish the demon off. That changed, however, when out of the blue, and for no reason Yusuke could think of, the arm attached to the demon's left shoulder on the opposite side of Yusuke, was suddenly cut off and blood spurted everywhere.

The demon screamed and while its body shuddered and convulsed, Yusuke lost his ground and was jerked off the youkai before he could react. And just as he began to fall, that was when Yusuke noticed a figure resting atop the demon's other shoulder with an oversized sword in his hands.

"Damn _dog_!" the detective yelled. It was entirely _his_ fault that Yusuke was falling! He could have handled things just fine if the mutt hadn't stepped in!

The half-demon seemed to falter when he heard Yusuke's voice, and his sword missed its mark. His gaze snapped away from the demon until it found Yusuke, in the middle of his descent. Yusuke could have sworn he heard the hanyou curse loudly before he sprung away from the demon and grabbed the back of former Spirit Detective's shirt.

"I just saved your ass, be grateful!" the hanyou growled.

"Nice to see ya too, buddy," he said sarcastically. He tried to glare up at the demon holding him, but he wasn't in the right position for it. "And I wouldn't need saving if you hadn't gone and sliced his arm off. Now put me the hell down!"

"Tch. And if _you_ hadn't been playin' around, you coulda finished him off already."

He would have retorted despite the fact that the hanyou was actually correct in his assumption, but he did not have time before he was granted his wish; Inuyasha abruptly let go and Yusuke dropped to the ground rather gawkily, though the impact was a great deal less painful than it would have been if the hanyou had not caught him.

Yusuke instinctively rolled when he reached the ground, which softened the blow further, and by the time he glanced up at the gargantuan again, it was impossible not to notice the lengthy gash going right down the youkai's center that split him completely in half.

Yusuke got to his feet, not even bothering to look up again even when he heard the demon fall to the ground, not to mention felt the tremor the thud produced. He dusted himself off as he grumbled, and he continued grumbling even when Kagome came to his side to see if he was okay. Kurama and Hiei came at a slower pace to meet him while Kuwabara jogged away from the massive corpse to join the rest.

Inuyasha dropped down easily in front of them all and put his sword away as it transformed back to its rusty appearance in his hands. He ignored all of them until the task was done and then he spoke, though it didn't seem he was paying any attention to the newcomers.

"Good," Inuyasha said with a satisfied nod as he glanced at the deceased youkai. "Now that that's over with…" He fixed Kagome with a glare, who in response gave a small sheepish smile. He jerked his hand toward Yusuke and the others.

"What the hell are they doing here?"


End file.
